Dawn of the New Shinobi Nations
by BKitsune6
Summary: The story is set 100 years after the series. With the dawn of a new generation comes new challenges, but is this new generation truly ready for what the world has for them? The road of the Shinobi is truly a dangerous one...Will it consume all who walk it
1. The Legendary Sand Duo

A/N: Its been an eternity since last I did any fan fiction, but I'm here to retell rather then create, though I do have to do a bit of that in order to fill in some of the blanks. This fic is based of a Naruto RP Guild that I am a part of and thought that it would be fun to retell the story we've woven thus far. Hope you all enjoy:)

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Disclaimer: I don't own some of the characters that appear in this fic. I don't own anything with the Naruto series.

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Background info: 

This story takes place about 100 years after the series. The Sound, after the death of Orochimaru regrouped and were united under the leadership of one of Orochimaru's devoted followers. The world of the Shinobi is a moderately peaceful one. Warring between villages had calmed downed over the recent decades. During this time new villages flourished and even a neutral zone was set up where Shinobi of any village could gather freely in a gesture of good faith. Key word _"good faith."_

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Chapter1: The Legendary Sand Duo

The desert moon rose over the night sky; the cold air tossed the loose sand every which way. It was a still night. Nothing really seemed to stir in the desert then the sands began to shift and swirl as though the desert itself awoke in a rage. The sound of foot steps echoed through the night.

From the wind came forth a young man. He was a tan man who wore a tan brown coat that ran down towards his knees. His shirt was black with a white trim and ran up and covered his face up to his chin. It had no sleeves and over that he wore a brown leather vest, also without sleeves. His pants were a the same tan brown color that is coat was. He carried on his back a rather fine blade. It blade had a gentle curve to it and was made of a fine black metal. There was a distinct distortion in the metal where a guard could've been. It was clear like glass and created a spiral pattern.

He ran through the sands till he spotted a desert palm sticking out of the horizon. It was the oasis he and his team had found back when they were genin. The oasis had been his and his partner's favorite meeting spot, and this, a full moon, was their monthly meeting. A wide grin grew across his face as he could see the shimmering water of the oasis. He could see him. His partner.

He saw a young man clothed in a long black coat that was belted up to the collar. His hair was black and ran down his face and stopped short of a pair of deep purple shades. His pants, much like his coat was black. On his left sleeve was a hidden sand plate. He wore a pair of black pants, and from under his coat bandage hung towards his waist. He was juggling a black scroll with a hand and he sat and wait. "Your late Tyriel."

Tyriel stopped and squatted near the water's edge and chuckled, "we all can't not have a life like you Ruim, besides. I saw this fine honey and I just had to put the moves on her." He tilted his head towards Ruim and had a giant smile on his face, "long story short I'll be seeing her in a couple of days, but I doubt your interested in my love life."

Ruim shook his head as he crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes, "what you do in your free time is none of my concern, but its about time we begin our spar."

Tyriel shook his head, "You know Ruim you really need to quit the robot routine and join us in life. You know, eat, drink, be marry?" He sighed again, "but of course you would have to do something I haven't seen in almost four years. You'd have to have a sense of humor."

Ruim faked a laughed and allowed his face to settle into a neutral expression, "We should start before dawn," he rose to his feet slowly and looked about, "I have work that needs to be done back at my workshop."

Tyriel nodded as he turned his back towards Ruim and walked away from the Oasis as he brought his right hand to his blade on his back, "me and Tempest will here will break our little tie." He turned around and pointed Tempest at Ruim. The glass like spiral began to glow a dim green.

Ruim shook his head as he used his free hand to loosen the top belt of his coat which triggered the rest to simply fall open to reveal his torso, which was bandaged in a tattered cloth material, "sorry to tell you and tempest this, but its never that simple." He brought the scroll to his mouth and his hands together.

Tyriel didn't allow Ruim the time to perform any hand signs. He swung Tempest which triggered its ability. It had the ability to rip the air around and create bursts of displaced air, and by doing this he kicked up a cloud of sand that hid Tyriel's actions. He began to performs some hand signs of his own. The sand around Ruim began to take shape. There were now six sand clones of Tyriel that encircled Ruim. The clones charged in and grabbed a part of Ruim's body, and began to meld together to form a sphere prison of sand, as he then finished his last sign. It was a substitution, and what he substituted with was a large stone that had been sitting in the water of the oasis. Ruim reappeared off to the side of the sphere and wagged a his right index finger as he shook his head. "You'll have to do better then that Tyriel."

Tyriel appears in the distance again he brought his hands together, with Tempest on his back, and a powerful burst of wind kicked up. It was Daitoppa, a personal favorite of Tyriel's, but the power burst just kicked up more sand that covered most anything in its way. When the attacked settled there was no sign of Ruim. Tyriel looked around, he knew it wasn't going to be that easy. He began to feel the sand under his feet shifting and jumped into the air. Ruim busted out for the sand to find his target in the air. He caught eye of Tyriel about to create more clones and so he created some of his own. From the sand six clones of Tyriel spawned, where as Ruim's clones appeared in a cloud of smoke. He created twelve of his own. "Is this enough Tyriel?"

Tyriel chuckled as he reached for Tempest as he started to come down, "Two for one, tsk-tsk. No matter I will juts hit em' all!" The clones began to converge on the Ruims as The swung Tempest hard causing an uproar of air being split in two directions. The attack kicked up more sand. Tyriel landed in a crouching position with a smirk, "Tsk, tsk...I expected better."

The sand settled and now there were 24 Ruims that all began to talk in unison, "as did we." Each clone stood tall as though nothing had happened. Each with their arms crossed over their chest.

Tyriel began to get frustrated. He hated when Ruim used haze clones. They were a pain to get rid of, though they didn't do a thing other then stand there and look pretty. The Ruim's began to pull out a scroll each. Tyriel recognized the scroll and molded his chakra into the sand at his feet to create a dome of sand. The Ruim's had no problem with the action and simple ran past the sand clone, and in the process some were destroyed but only multiplied the confusion as they set their scroll at the base and opened them. The Ruim clones all jumped back and brought their hands to form the sigh of the _rat, _which triggered the scrolls to release their content. A fine black powder that then ignited. Tyriel in the dome used and escape jutsu to evade the explosion and reappeared outside the blast radius.

"Damn that Ruim is clever... however... can't hurt what you cant catch." His body faded for a second as he began to move at a high speed began around the clones. He was searching for the real deal amongst, and attempted this by cleaving each clone down. It was almost simultaneously that the clones burst and began to reform, but doubling in numbers. Ruim was stringing Tyriel along and it was really annoying him. He watch each one reform the best he could for the moment that Ruim would be revealed but all he saw was liquid like pools rising to reform into clones of Ruim.

The clones began to run around in a circular motion counter clockwise around Tyriel. He smiled and plopped down in the sand and crossed his arms, "I am tired Ruim. If all you can do is clone then this is rather pathetic." From under him a hand burst out and grabbed his ankle. The Tyriel sand began to melt as the real Tyriel appeared in the air with a spiraling air mass gathering in his mouth. It was a compressed air bullet and it fired out of his mouth at high speeds for Ruim's head. It collided with the Ruim's head which erupted into sand and melted away. The clones disappeared, as Tyriel, in the air searched for any sign of Ruim. Then out of nowhere he appeared in front of Tyriel's face. His mouth opened and a hazy poisonous purple gas came bellowing out into Tyriel's face. He tried not to breath any of it in but it was too late. His body it the ground. The poison was starting to take effect, as he was on his back. The Ruim that was staring him in the face began to melt to reveal a generic puppet. Then the sands began to shift as the real Ruim emerged from the sand. One hand in the direction of the puppet and the other in the direction of Tyriel, "good match."

Tyriel looked at it and shook his head. "Good match." he began to chuckle, "you got lots of lucky shots." Ruim shook his head at Tyriel's laughter and reached into his coat for the antidote. He pulled out a syringe and inject Tyriel with the antidote.

"You'll be fine, but your ego on the other hand won't." Ruim pulled on the low chakra threads that he had used to control his puppet and it jumped onto his back, "I'll be at my workshop. Stop by some time Tyriel."

Tyriel nodded, "right after I get some sleep." He began to shift in the sand and stared into the sky. He raised his right hand into the air, "later." Ruim nodded and took off to his workshop in the Village Hidden in the Sand. It would be day soon and his clients will be stopping by to pick up their orders.

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In this time of calm the Hidden Sand had gain a form of prosperity. After a period of time in which their very existence was in jeopardy the village came up with a new method of income in goods. The Village Hidden in the Sand had become home to some of the best places to find weapons and one of those reasons was the genius of Ruim of the Black Sands. He was one of the three Puppet Masters of the Hidden Sand. His skills were indeed great, but he was brilliant with tools of all sorts. It was even safe to say that he supplied most of the Jounin for the great Shinobi Nations with their weapons. They were such high quality that even Kage and lords alike would pay top dollar for his work, but on his work as a shinobi made him feared. He was know for his ruthless cunning and his skills as the best Assassin in the village. He was also in the running as the next Kazekage, but refused the position three times. 

There was one other Shinobi who's skills were equally know. It was Tyriel of the Gale. He was know for his overwhelming displays of power, and his overwhelming ego, and his blade was legendary. It was one of the three cursed blades of the hidden sand, and he wielded it with great skill and grace. There were even stories of him defeating entire divisions of ANBU by himself. He was regarded as the strongest shinobi the Hidden Sand has to offer. He was even the leader of an elite unit for the Hidden Sand know as _"The Sands of Time."_ The group was comprised of the strongest Shinobi the sand had to offer except for Tyriel partner Ruim, who refused a position to pursue the opportunity to train genin, all of which he had sent back after working to an inch of death.

Together the two are feared as a powerful force at the Hidden Sand's disposal and are requested only for the most dangerous of assignments, and as such have much time on their hands. Ruim, the emotional cripple, chooses to spend his time locked up with his precious puppets where as Tyriel sends his time tracking the most beautiful women the world has to offer. The two were the furthest thing from one another, but a long history made them what they were, friends.

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It was the morning after Ruim's match with Tyriel. He was walking down the streets towards the small rundown shack he called home. He approached his door to see someone waiting at his outside his door. It was a man with short red hair and green eyes. Around his neck was a chain with various village symbols carved into small plates. He wore no shirt and blue pants. The man turned his head and waved at Ruim, "You the owner of this place?" Ruim nodded as he took a start up the three small steps that led to the front door. "Good. Then you can help me with something. I'm Tadao, adviser to Aju Shimimaru. the leader of the Hidden Sound." Ruim nodded as he opened the door. 

Slowly the door swung open and from it a faint odor of gunpowder erupted from within. Tadao looked inside into the dimly lit waiting room and saw dismembered puppet limbs strewn every which way and incomplete puppets on the walls, barrels of gunpowder in a corner, and a table with scrolls, kunai, needles, and flasks of poisons on a table. To the left of those were various machines - there function was unknown to him.

Ruim extended a hand threw the threshold and looked Tadao dead in the eyes, "Welcome to my workshop. How may I help you."

Tadao looked around and gave a long whistle, "I have to admit. This looks impressive." He then reached behind him and drew a long curved dagger. The hilt blade had jewels running along the blade. A sapphire at the base, an emerald a couple inches up and a ruby towards the point. The guard was made of a fine ivory and was shaped in an intricate circle designs. The handle was made of a platinum gold mix. Tadao played with the dagger in his hands for a second before placing it down on the table in the room. "Can you add a little something to it."

Ruim nodded, "sure what is it you want?" Slowly he picked it up and examined it. The blades appearance hid its true nature. Though dazzling to look at it had details that would've been masked by its appearance. The first of were small holes at the base of the blade. He looked a little closer to see small scorch marks. Then at the noticed hair like switches along the handle.

Tadao scratched his head, "Well I want Dragon's Tooth to have some surprising, but effective, new trick. So surprise me." He smiled big, "oh and after this would you like to visit my bar?"

Ruim took a seat behind the table and reach for a scroll and opened it quickly. There was a brief cloud of smoke and thousands of pins appeared. They all laid atop the scroll as Ruim reached into his coat and pulled out a fine brush and began to draw a seal along the top of the card. He then performed some hand signs and another puff of smoke happened and then the pins disappeared. He offered the blade to Tadao, "Use the single handed tiger sign while channeling chakra into the blade. This will trigger the pins to fire."

Tadao took the Dragon's tooth from Ruim and examined the seal and looked back at Ruim, "so are you going to take me up on my offer?"

Ruim shrugged, "where's this bar," no sooner did he say it did Tadao put a finger on Ruim. The space around them became distorted. It was a space/time jutsu. When the world returned to focus Ruim was sitting on a bar stool in an old looking wooden building. He gazed over the counter to see various bottles lined up. "I guess I didn't have any choice in the matter. Where am I Tadao?"

Tadao hopped over the bar and grabbed a bottle marked "_Warning: Will Cause Mass Organ Failure_," and a shot glass. The bottle was dusty and an amber color. He poured the dark liquid into the glass and raised it before pouring it down his throat. He whipped is mouth as he made a loud grunting sound, "your in the Neutral Territory. Near the Revival Zone area. Have what ever you want. Its on the house." Ruim raised a hand and shook his head.

"Sorry. I don't drink." Ruim rose to the feet and began to think of how to get back to his shop. He began to recreate the map of the area in his head. He knew that the Neutral Territory was comprised from land that had been donated by the Hidden Leaf. It was south of the Hidden leaf and near the ocean. "I'll be seeing you around Tadao, but I need to get back to my work." He walked out into the city like place. He looked around and saw the giant dome like stadium that stood at in the middle the Neutral Zone and looked into the sky to determine the direction he would need to travel. Tadao's bar was on the outskirts of the Neutral Zone, and beyond that was the few miles till the end of the Neutral Territory. He began to go over the major zones that comprised the Neutral Territory. The first and most well know was the Revival Zone. An area dedicated to the health of all Shinobi that have fallen in battle. It was know for its powerful Shinobi and wealth of forbidden and medical jutsus. The second was the Neutral Zone. The Neutral Zone was home to the many shops but was best know for its stadium. The stadium was a place where anyone from any village could come and fight till their hearts content. It helped foster good relations between villages. The final Zone was referred to as the Test Zone. It had become the permanent home to the Chunin Selection Exams.

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It was a little past noon and Tyriel was sitting atop the Kazekage's office building. He was watching clouds pass over the village and began to get bored. He had visited Ruim's shop only a couple hours ago and found that he wasn't home, which was unusual, but not worth looking into. He sighed as he sat up and looked around the village. Then he got an idea. Quickly his eyes darted about the city as he began looking for some potential excitement. He spotted it on the streets. It was a woman on her way to the village's medical clinic. He watched her red hair as it turned corners. He couldn't help himself. He had to get a closer look at her, or at least he was hoping it was a her. 

Tyriel watched as the red head walked through the doors into the clinic. He waited a minute or two before descending from the roof tops and in through the doors. He walked in causally and tried to look incognito as he checked out some of the women who worked there, but he had to resist the urge to flirt as he searched out his target. Slowly we walked up to the reception desk and nodded at the lady who sat there. She was a little too old for him so after a few moments of light conversation he walking off to continue his search. He turned the halls and pressed onward, despite some of the looks people where giving him. Then he caught sight of the hair he had saw not too long ago. He smiled as threw himself to the ground as though he had collapsed. His body hit the ground with a loud thud which caught the ears of the red head he had been looking for. She turned around sharply and rushed to see what had happened.

Tyriel laid on the ground with his eyes shut. He could feel his body being lifted slightly of the ground and then followed by a famine voice. "Sir what happened," is what she said with concern in her voice. Tyriel began to think in his mind, _'score, she sounds hot.'_

Slowly Tyriel allowed his eyes to flutter open as a slight grin grew across his face. He could see her now, and took note of her deep green eyes and fair complexion. He gazed into her eyes as he said, "You took my breath away." She looked at him funny then dropped him. His head hit the floor with a loud thud and he rolled to his side as he rubbed his head, "that hurt. I though these places where about helping people."

The woman rose to her feet and dusted off her hands, "we don't treat fake injuries sir." Tyriel turned to face her and caught sight of her name tag that read _"Druesilla."_

Tyriel smiled, "but Druesilla. I am hurt." He pointed to his head, "so how about a little professionalism and help me, please?"

Druesilla shook her head and then poked Tyriel's head and he winced. "Your fine sir."

Tyriel sat up and grabbed Druesilla's hands, "aw but my heart is not. How about it Druesilla. Me and you. A night on the village?"

She looked at him skeptic, "It would not be right s-" Tyriel interrupted her by bring his right index finger to her lips.

"Please. Call my Tyriel." She looked at him funny and then sighed.

"Only if you promise to let go of my hands." Tyriel nodded and released her hands and smiled. Again she sighed.

"You won't regret it. I promise you. I'll stick around and wait till your shift is over. I'll be at the front desk." He gave her a little wink as he turned around and started off towards the front desk. A smile on his face and a little skip in his step, only because he was sure Druesilla was watching him and it was funnier and would earn him some extra points. Five hours passed as Tyriel sat in a seat by the door waiting for Druesilla. He was on the verge of falling asleep. His eyes felt heavy and he started to nod off. In an attempt to wake himself up a little he slapped himself a couple of times. He stood up and jumped a bit and started to pace. As Tyriel was trying to wake himself Druesilla was watching him from around the corner. She had hoped that Tyriel would've left but he was still there. She started to think of a way out and decided to sneak out the back, but as Tyriel was trying to wake himself he could smell the aroma that Druesilla had given off when she had held him briefly. That's when he knew she wasn't going to go through the front door. He left out the front and began to circle around - determined and as confident as always.

Tyriel spotted something trying to move away in the shadows. He smiled, "the thrill of the hunt." He began to use his infamous skills and began to follow. Swiftly and silently he moved as he kept sight of his prey. He hung back far enough to avoid being spotted. He was a bit surprised at how quick his prey actually was.

The shadow emerged from the shadows into the main streets of the village. It was Druesilla. She looked back and then around for any signs of being perused. She placed a hand on her chest and sighed in relief as she found nothing. She started to move as she turn, but she collided into someone. She fell onto her butt and almost apologized but stopped as she saw who she had walked into. She looked up to see Tyriel standing there with his hands on crossed over his chest. He had a stern look on his face, but that melted into a gentle chuckle as he offer her a hand up. "Sorry for that. But I couldn't just let you go without a chance. After all. You did promise."

Druesilla turned her head away, "you won't take no for an answer will you?"

Tyriel chuckled, "nope. After all. You did promise if I'd let go of your hand, and as you can see - I don't have your hand."

Druesilla sighed as she reached out and grabbed Tyriel's hand. He smiled and she frowned as he pulled her up. "Okay Tyriel, but just this time." Tyriel smile grew larger as he grabbed her hand and started off. Druesilla stumbled a couple of steps but managed to catch herself. She was now being led around by Tyriel and was wondering where he was taking her. Then they stopped in front of a rundown looking shop. Tyriel knew it very well. It was Ruim's workshop.

The door to the workshop was open and Tyriel's lighthearted expression shifted as they approached the open doorway. He understood better then anyone that looks can be deceiving especially when it comes to Ruim. He knew that the workshop was a trap within itself, and if to trek lightly through its door while its master was away would be a truly foolish error. He looked back at Druesilla, "I'll be back in a second. I need to get something from inside," he gestured towards the shop with a jerk of his head. He let go of her hand and began up the steps. He placed his back against the wall on the right side of the door frame and slowly looked in.

Ruim's workshop looked normal. Nothing was really off about it except the fact the door was left open, which Tyriel knew Ruim would never do. He remember all the chats he had with Ruim when ever he left the door wide open. He took a deep breath and slowly walked in, cautious of anything tripwires or loose flooring. Everything looked normal. It felt strange to Tyriel. He shook his head as he began to rummage around for a scroll. It took all of five minutes before he found the right one and raised it triumphantly before walk out and closing the door behind him.

Tyriel waved the scroll through the air as he looked at Druesilla who had an expression on her face that told him she wasn't having any fun. He walked down the steps and pointed the scroll at her. "This will be our means of travel for tonight Drue."

Druesilla's eye twitched at the mention of the name Drue. "Don't ever call me Drue," she began shaking her fists in a threatening manner, "or it will be your last damn it." Tyriel nodded, while laughing in his head.

Tyriel smiled at her again as he began to open the scroll. Druesilla wasn't done yet but was halted by the sudden puff of smoke. When it all cleared Tyriel was holding a rather large fan. He began to chuckle, "Don't worry. It'll hold the both of us."

Druesilla was a little shock at the fact that he expected her to ride a fan, "Your joking right? How the hell are we going to ride a fan?"

Tyriel smiled, "were not riding the fan. We're riding the wind." He smiled as he tossed the fan into the air and brought his hands together and took aim. It was Daitoppa. The great wind sent the fan high into the sky. He didn't have much time before the fan would fall. Quickly he wrapped his arms around Druesilla before leaping high into the air an onto the fan.

The fan was gliding through the air as Druesilla gazed in wonder at the sight from the fan. He let her go and began to perform some hand signs. Then he started move towards the back and let loose another daitoppa. The intense blast of air sent them propelling out towards the desert.

Druesilla was amazed. She had heard of both reasons for Tyriel's infamy, she thought they were both over exaggerated, but now actually witness to them she was beginning to believe it might not be so over exaggerated. Then she began to wonder where he was taking her. They were sailing over the desert sands as though they were a boat adrift the sea. Then she spotted something shimmering off in the distance. She started to strain her eyes as she looked outward towards the shimmer.

"Its an oasis," Tyriel said simply as he noticed Druesilla staring off at it. "I wanted to make it up to you for making you wait and bothering you. it's a special place that few now is out here." He shook his head and sighed, "and that's a shame. It really is an amazing little spot."

Druesilla looked back at Tyriel and watched as again he smiled, but this time it was different. It was a warm and kindly smile rather then the playful one he had been flashing her with most of the evening. She started to blush and quickly turned her head. Her face was beginning to match the color of her hair. She shook her head as she closed her eyes. Then she felt a sudden dropping feeling in the pit of her stomach. They had began falling. Her eyes shot open as she watch as they were getting closer to the sand. She looked at Tyriel, worried that he might kill them both, but he stood firm as he watched the decent. His face didn't change, but Druesilla's did. She was about ready to abandon the fan when Tyriel brought his hand together and let loose another great burst of air. The fan began to move rise again as they approached the Oasis. He move closer to Druesilla and again he wrapped his arms around her before leaping off the fan and towards sands below.

Tyriel landed in a crouching position with Druesilla in his arms. Slowly he rose to his feet before setting Druesilla down. He smiled again and then chuckled. "Well. Here were are. All you got to do is turn around and peer into the water."

Druesilla looked into Tyriel's face and nodded. She did as Tyriel told her and turned around to see the oasis. The water shimmered brilliantly in the moonlight and for a brief second she was in awe. Then her eyes traveled further towards the desert palm that overlooked the pool of water. Then as she was looking at the water she saw Tyriel's reflection. She tilted her head up at Tyriel and smile. "I guess it wasn't all bad coming here with you."

Tyriel started to chuckle in his head as he thought, _'oasis for the win.'_ He scratched his head for a second before taking a seat next to Druesilla and letting his legs soak in the water. He then placed his hands behind him in the sand and tilted his head towards the stars, "the desert is a really amazing place. One moment is unforgiving to all those who may dare take it lightly, but then the sun sets and it's a whole new world. Its becomes more caring and beautiful...just like you Druesilla." Druesilla began to blush deeply and the turned her face away to hide it, but the water's reflection made it hard to hide. "At first your were unforgiving. Made me chase after you and everything, but now your so tame its just too cute!" He turn and smiled at her with his warm smile and the scooted into the water. It wasn't very deep. The water only reached up to his waist.

Tyriel squatted down in the water so that it came up to his neck. He looked up at Dreusilla and cocked an eyebrow. Then he splashed Druesilla playfully. She raised her hand in defense before starting to laugh. He smiled and splashed her again, but this time she splashed back. The continued for a minute or two more before they both fell back in laughter. Him into the water and her into the sand. Tyriel sat up quickly and started to cough out the water that had gathered in his throat as he had laughed. Then Druesilla sat up too. She looked at the soaking wet Tyriel and smile. He made his way in front of her and looked into her eyes, "would it be alright if I kissed you?"

She looked at him oddly and began to blush, "I should warn you. I'm a chunin and it wouldn't be wise unless you wanted a throat needle." She then gave Tyriel a twisted grin.

Tyriel laughed and scratched his head, "then it wouldn't be a very wise move but," he leaned in close and his lips made contact with hers. She was caught in a moment of shock but soon overcame than and relaxed a bit, but as she was beginning to enjoy the moment Tyriel pulled back and winked, "it's a risk worth taking." She blushed a deeper hue and he smiled. "Lets go again sometime drue-um silla."

She looked at him and pouted then crossed her arms, "sure," she said as he turned her head and closed her eyes, "and its ok if you call me Drue."

Tyriel's face lit up. "Wonderful Drue!" He took her hands in his and looked into her eyes, "I know this great place in the Neutral Territory. it's a little far, but we can get to know each other a little better," he wink and she blushed again, "we can take the long way or we can fly." His smile transformed into a rather large grin. She nodded and he was ecstatic.

"I have go now Ty." Druesilla pulled away gently, "but I'll definitely take you up on your offer to fly again." She rose to her feet and looked around to determine the direction of the village and looked back at Tyriel. He smiled and point. She nodded and started on her way, and as she did Tyriel laid back and allowed his body to float as he gazed into the sky.

"Ty...hmm...I like," he said to himself as he looked into the stars. Then he let out a heavy sigh and grinned, "I am one sly devil!" Then began to hold his sides and laughed.

A few days passed as Ruim walked through the Neutral Territory and through into the border of the Hidden Leaf. It took him a few more days but he arrived at the Gates of Fire of the Hidden Leaf sometime mid-afternoon. He stared up at the gate and then toward the guards at the he walked up and two Leaf ninja stood and watch Ruim as he approach. One of them got in front of Ruim and extended his hand, "please show your passport." Ruim looked at the guy's and then into his eyes.

"There is no need for that." Ruim raised his hands up into the air, "I guess you don't know who I am."

The guy looked at Ruim curiously, "I'm sorry but without a passport I can't allow you into Konoha."

Ruim shook his head and pointed to the partner of the ninja's in front of him, "can you please contact Hokage Tiger and tell him that Ruim of the Black Sands is here to speak with him."

The name Ruim of the Black Sands caused alarm in the face of leaf ninja and it didn't take long for his message to travel down the grapevine to the Hokage himself, and then back to the waiting Ruim. The Leaf ninja that had once stood in his ways lowered his head and apologized before stepping aside and allowing Ruim entry through the Gates of Konoha, but not before requesting some form of identification. Ruim nodded and reached into his coat and pulled out a black scroll. It had the seal of the "_Black Sands_." It was one of three special seals and their scroll. There were a total of three sands, red, whit, and black. These titles were given to only the most elite of Puppet Masters and were one of a kind. The Leaf ninja allowed Ruim entry into the great village hidden in the leaf.

The first thing that he had to do was see Hokage Tiger. He was the 9th Hokage in the history of the village, and, though his name wasn't known to all but a privilege few, he was a great man and leader. Ruim had recently done some work for the Hokage and crafted a marble statue for the Hokage who then gave it as a gift to the village. It depicted the first three Hokage sitting together. It wasn't very large but it stood proudly at the entrance to the build that housed the Hokage's office.

It took Ruim a few hours before he was in front of the statue he had crafted and the building it stood before. He stood and examined it for any hint of dirt or damage, but before he could finished he was greeted by a man clothed in the had and robe of the Hokage. "How are you Ruim." He said as he kept his head low to avoid his face from being seen. It was another one of his quarks. All that anyone knew of his appearance was that he had dark hair and dark eyes. Then a his assistant, a blond man wearing your standard jounin attire, who was in fact the Hokage's brother, came following after.

"Hokage sir. Please you can't just neglect your duty to take a walk!" His name was Sonjin and unlike his brother he did not take to the whole secrets thing. He looked at Ruim and blinked. "Oh! Ruim." He lowered his head, "I did not realize you were the reason for Tiger's sudden leave from his office. As always it's a pleasure having you here...when your not killing our people that is." Tiger chuckled at how blunt his younger brother was. Tiger then punched him on the head.

"I apologize from Sonjin's rudeness. He can get that was sometimes, but to the point. How long will you be staying in the Hidden Leaf?" Tiger crossed his arms as his brother took out a notepad and a pen.

"I'll be here for a couple of days. No more then three and no less then two. You can have me under surveillance if you so desire, though I can guarantee that I won't do anything wrong while I am visiting." He crossed his arms over his chest and peered into Sonjin's eyes. His gaze gave Sonjin the shivers.

Tiger nodded, "there will be no need for that. I have trust that you mean what you say. Sonjin? See to it that he has a nice place stay on his visit and please. There will be no need to watch him. The people can do that just fine." He turned around towards the door into the building, "have a nice day Ruim." He raised his head and walked back into the build.

Sonjin looked at the two and then gave Ruim a dirty look. It was no secret that Sonjin did not like Ruim in the least, but he bit his lip and did as his brother and the Hokage commanded. He led Ruim to a place he could stay. It was nothing special. It was just a one room shack on a hill. Sonjin found it to be a more fitting place for a person like Ruim, and Ruim didn't care. He just walked in and sat on the floor. He looked around the rundown room and nodded, "that'll be all Sonjin. Thank the Hokage for me when you see him." Sonjin nodded and walked quickly, all the while muttering on about his distaste for Ruim,

Ruim sat in his room and began to plan out his journey home. He decided to not simply return to the Hidden Sand, but to gather some information form his various contacts in each of the major villages. He was thinking about updating his files and profiles. He sat and thought so long and so hard that a day had passed before he got up. He went outside to this new day and decided he'd leave in the evening since is would harder for any pursuers to track him. He looked into the sky at sun and figured it was sometime after noon and he'd have maybe five or six hours before he'd be able to leave according to his schedule, and so he decided to walk around and take in the culture.

* * *

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the show. I promise thing will get very interesting, and if you liked what things thus far then leave a review. The more I get the quicker I will work, also. They make me happy :). 

Next Chapter: Law of the Desert


	2. Law of the Desert

* * *

Chapter 2: Law of the Desert

The sun was beginning to set on Konoha, and Ruim was beginning to have his fill of the Village. Outside of the training zones Ruim had no real interest in the village and was now traveling on roof tops towards the gate. He had some ideas he wanted to work out and he had some orders to finish.

Ruim stopped as he noticed someone on a roof top ahead. From his distance all he could see was black hair that was pulled back, but as he grew closer he could distinguish more. From the shape he guessed it to be a female. On the upper part of her right arm she wore a red and black bracer on her both of her forearms. She was wearing a brown-orange vest and black pants with a red belt that hung from around the hip area. He notice she was looking up and slowed down to take a look into the sky, but he saw nothing out of the normal. He then looked towards the horizon at the sun setting sun over the tree tops and shook his head, "Its better in the desert." The girl's ears caught Ruim's words and she turned her head back to see him.

"What's better in the desert?" She said with a curious look in her amber colored eyes.

Ruim shook his head as he came to a stop standing next to her as she sat. "The sunset."

The girl cocked an eyebrow as her eyes got huge, "really? I've always wanted to visit the Hidden Sand. Isn't that where your from?" She already knew the answer because had notice the Sand plate on his arm.

Ruim nodded, "Yes I am, and I'm about to the journey back. Its truly a wondrous place."

"I'm Shiko Hatake. What's your name?" She smiled big and her eyes were bright.

Ruim looked into the sky. It was getting dark and he knew he should get going soon. "Ruim Akabane."

Shiko kept her gaze affixed to Ruim, "why are you a ninja?"

Ruim looked off towards the gate as he raised his left hand to stroke his chin. "Why? I became a shinobi because I wanted something to protect - some people need a purpose in life, and I decided that mine would be to protect my home and the people in it. If not for me then for her, because that was her nindo... _her_ ninja way..."

She nodded at Ruim's word before turning her face towards the ground. "I wanted to become a nin-...shinobi too, but my father won't let me. Not after what happened to by brother and mother...I'm all he's got...but still," she looked up into Ruim's eyes with a look of determination, "I want something to protect in this world. I want to life as they did." She looked down again as she shook her head, "but I'm stuck here.."

Ruim looked down at Shiko and shook his head, "then the solution is obvious. You can't stay here. Life is too short to be wondering about the what ifs in life. You either do or don't, and in the end you have only yourself to blame if you have any regrets, but I need to get going. I have business to attend to back home." Ruim patted Shiko on the head before taking off. He had a three day journey ahead of him and a little more then two if he didn't stop for anything.

Ruim was deep into the forests outside Konoha when he got the feeling he was being followed. Ruim stopped in a tree to take a look back for any signs of his pursuers. At a quick glance all he saw was a slight rustle in the leaves, but that's all he needed. He decided that, since he wasn't attacked yet that he'd loose them, and the easiest way for him do that is to not stop for anything.

A full day passed as Ruim drew closer to the boarder of fire country and still his pursuer(s) was on his trail. He was beginning to wonder what the limits of his pursuer(s). He picked up the pace again, but as he did so he loosened up the top belt on his coat so he could get his into his pockets. He reached into one of his pockets along his right side and pulled out several tags. He set them on the trunks of trees he passed. The tags were set to explode after a few seconds and he counted them out as they exploded one-by-one. He shook his head a he was running low on the timed tags.

The desert sands were visible through tree line as the sun began to set. He knew that once they hit the desert stretch of this journey would be the most difficult and without stop would cause even the best to give up. The heat, the lack of food, water, and rest - these were the factors that affected anyone who might dare venture the sands, and so far Ruim as ensured that they haven't had sleep if they've been following him since he hasn't stopped moving. Again he picked up the pace as his feet touched the loose drains of sand. He was back in his element and moved almost effortlessly over the sand. He no longer cared what his pursuer(s) might be. He knew the desert would handle who ever might emerge from the forest.

It was the second day of Ruim's journey and he was almost over. He showed no signs of slowing down as he raced over through the sands. The heat was unbearable and it was only rising as the sun was reaching its highest point. Though it was getting hotter by the moment Ruim only sped up. It was only took a few hours before the entrance to the Village Hidden in the Sand's entrance was visible and with it the guard squads. If by some chance who ever had followed him had been able to keep up they'd be too exhausted to fight.

Ruim finally slowed down to a brisk walk as be passed through the entrance into the village. He was allowed passage without any questions. Not so much as a hello was muttered by those on guard, because they were fully aware that Ruim would most likely not return the greeting. He breezed on past and was on his way home. Ruim turned onto the main street of the village and slowed his pace to his usual relaxed walked. He even slipped his hand into the pockets on the side of the coat, and as he walked he closed his eyes to listen to the sounds of the village. He knew his way back to his workshop by heart and the number of steps and just let his legs take him.

It had felt like an eternity since last he walked the streets paved in sand. The echo of footsteps and the voices of the people - all of which Ruim took in. He almost felt something when he reached his front step and had to open his eyes again, but at the same time he knew what he needed to do. He had orders that hadn't been filled and his puppets missed their weekly maintenance due to Tadao's visit. He had to clean parts and restock ammunition. Ruim shook his head as he entered his workshop and looked around. It was almost the same as he left it, but he noticed some things had been moved. Ruim shook his head as he grabbed a seat on the east wall near a string of puppets had been mounted on the wall.

Ruim reached into his one of his inner coat pockets and stared at it. It was a deep lavender color. He looked at for a moment the threw his head back in his seat as he began to think about a time long since passed. A few moments passed before he was snapped out of his trance by the sound of footsteps at his door. He opened his eyes and stood up to greet his visitor. Ruim turned his head to see a familiar face at his door. It was Shiko from the leaf.

Shiko was leaning against the door frame exhausted. She was breathing heavily drenched in sweat. Her body trembled fiercely as she tried to step through the door, then her body gave out and she fell forward onto the floor. Ruim shook his head as he went into the back room and got two cups of water. He brought it to Shiko's body and poured the first cup on her head, which caused her eyes stir, and he then knelt down, lifted and tilted her head back as he slowly poured the water into her mouth, "dumb kid," He thought as he watched some life return to her eyes, "you could've got yourself killed kiddo."

After Shiko had finished her drink of water she shut her eyes again. Carefully Ruim set her head down and went into the storage room. The room was cluttered with boxes on one wall and parallel to it was a bookcase with flask of various liquids. A couple of feet in front of the door was a sink and beside that a box with a old cot in it. He picked it up and took it to the waiting area where Shiko lay resting. Quickly he set it up near the chair he had been sitting at, and carefully placed her body a top it. He then took his seat again only to glance over at the sleeping Shiko.

Ruim was almost amazed. Shiko had done something none of the genin squads have ever done - spark and interest. Ruim had worked a total of 17 squads almost to death and none were ever able to return to the village on their own feet, but here beside him stood a girl who not only went non-stop to village, but made it to his shop. What she had done was by far harder then anything he had made those squads do. He crossed his arms over his chest as began to wonder why she had chased him all the way from Konoha. He came to the decision that she'd be very hungry when she awoke, so he got up and went into the village to find some food. It had been a long while since he last needed something to eat.

* * *

Meanwhile back at Konoha things were beginning to get turned upside down. The few members of the Hatake clan were in an uproar. It had been more than two days since last her family had heard of her. Tiger had had several meetings with Shiko's father. Tiger had just finished a meeting with Shiko's father and was swamped. He sat laid back in his chair looking up at the ceiling. He was rubbing his temples as in frustration with a migraine. There was a sudden knock on the door and he sat up, "come in." 

Slowly the door opened as the familiar voice of his brother rung from behind the door, "Hokage Tiger. You have another visitor." Tiger shook his head, "if its another Hatake then please till them that we have are best on the search. If its anyone else please tell them to come back in an hour or so."

Sonjin sighed, "I'm sorry but she won't take no for an answer."

Tiger sighed heavily as he lowered his hat over his eyes, "if its her then I can't say no. She wouldn't let me. Alright then..let her in." No sooner did the words leave Tiger's mouth the door was forced wide open. What stood not too far off from Sonjin was a woman with long sandy blonde hair. She wore red tinted sunglasses over her eyes and under her chin hung a Hidden Leaf headband. She was wore a long sleeved white shirt with a red vest over. Her hands were glove in red, and she was in a red skirt that stopped a couple of inches before her knees. On her waist was a white bag and on her back was a katana without a guards. Tiger shook his head. "Hello Ms. Uchiha..."

She cut her arm across her chest, "Tiger. Please allow me to look for Shiko." She had a look of stet fast determination. Tiger tried hard not to look at her. "I have to do this. If not for the Village's sake then allow me to do it for my own...for Karasu. He'd be worried about her if he was still around."

Sonjin rested his right hand on Ms. Uchiha's shoulder, "but Rinoa. That is unrealistic. You have your duties to attend to here in the village. What about your squad?"

Rinoa shook her head, "They can be without me for a couple of days. Just give me one month. Just one month. I know I can find her."

Tiger rose out of his seat and placed his hand on a pile of files on his desk, "Ms. Uchiha. I will honor your request. One month is all you'll get. Till that time is up Sonjin will lead your squad." He began to sift through the files till he came across one marked "_Squad 19_" in bold print. "Sonjin. Here is all you need to know about Ms. Uchiha's squad. I have faith that they won't prove to be too much for you to handle."

Rinoa's face lit up. "That you Hokage Tiger. You won't regret this at all." She lowered her head a little before turning her attention to Sonjin, "and please have some patience with them. I know they will get on your nerves, but their a good bunch. Make sure to push my brother. He's a little too laid back for his own good."

Sonjin looked frustrated. He shook his head and took the folder from Tiger. "Ok my Hokage. I will do this." He began to look through the file at the profiles, "Uchiha, Jowy. Age 14. Ryu, Saru. Age 15. Iga. Age 15. Alright. One month couldn't be that it?"

Rinoa stifled a laugh at Sonjin's remark. "They're really quite...unique. They have a lot of promise but their have a little too much energy on their hands. Keep that in mind and make sure to keep the busy or," Rinoa shuttered at the thought, "they might do something crazy..."

Sonjin looked cocked-eyed at Rinoa's remark. He doubt that they could be as troublesome as she had said, but her comment did not bring his mind to any form of ease. He did not care too much for genin. He believe that they were a waste of his time and talents, but he understood that he could not disobey his Kage and brother. Sonjin closed the folder and took a deep breath. "This should not be a problem. I will work up a list of suitable mission for us to go on. A month should go by quickly. Rinoa. Can you arrange a meeting for your squad as soon as possible. In front of this build should do for a meeting spot." Rinoa nodded, and Sonjin left view to arrange an agenda and bake some cookies. He found baking very therapeutic for him. He was in a chocolate chip mood.

Rinoa still stood before the Hokage Tiger now with her arms crossed in front of her, "believe me when I say this - I _will_ find Shiko, and I'll do it before any of the ANBU do."

Tiger scratched his cheek, "oh really? So you think you'll beat _him_ to her?"

Rinoa blinked slightly confused, "_him_? Wait...which _him_?"

Tiger again sift through some papers on his desk till he found a profile. He picked up gently with his right hand and with a flick of his wrist tossed it Rinoa. "The _him_ I speak of is would be the leader of the ANBU, The Wind Walker, Sosuke."

Rinoa's shade slide from her nose a little, "oh, THAT _him_. He's fast, but he won't be beat find Shiko before me," she began to clench her fist tight, "after all. Shiko is like my little sister."

Tiger nodded and waved Rinoa off, "Then you'd better be off. Sosuke's already left by now." She nodded and bolted out the door. She had a couple of things to do before she could leave the village, and she had to get them done quickly.

Tiger sighed as he took his seat again and began to rub his temples, "what a long day its been..." His moment of rest was sort lived as, again, someone was at his door. He looked up to notice a small nose poking through from the left of the doorway. It was a dog's nose from what he could tell. He sighed as he sat up because it could only be a select few who had a dog with them to visit and that would be anyone from the Inuzuka clan. "Come in please."

A white pup, with black on the tips of its tail, paws, and ears, scampered on it. A couple seconds passed before its owner slowly peeked out. First his pale nose then the red marks under his red eyes and the few loose strands of elegantly white hair. "Um..uh...I'm sorry to disturb you Hokage sir..."

The Hokage shook his head, "not at all Keiji. Please come in." Slowly Keiji allowed the rest of him to view. His long flowing hair was pulled back and braided. He was clad in long sleeve black button shirt, that was button strait up to his neck, hanging from his neck were a pair of plain sunglasses, and matching pants.Loosely covered by strands of white was his headband. He looked weak and sickly because of how pale he was but he was in perfect health except for being albino and being sensitive to the sun's rays.

"Shiromaru sit," and with that the enegetic pup ran to Keiji's heel and sat patently. Keiji looked down at his pup and smile before looking back up towards the Hokage. "Eh...um..." he looked towards his feet, "I worried about Shiko...she wouldn't leave the village without telling me..."

Tiger sighed, "don't worry Keiji. We have our best looking for her."

Keiji began to clench his fist, "but its been almost four days, and even the member of my clan can't pick up her trail. The only thing we have to go on is that small patch of forest that was blown up. We've scattered in all direction to pick up her trail, but nothing."

Tiger shook his head, "don't think so negative. She's out there somewhere. I doubt she was even near that area, but Keiji. Try and relax." Tiger began to scratch his head, "well...I should see if I can find a team for you. You are the only lone genin in the village and I think a mission might be able to keep your mind off things. Squad 19 will be meeting out front in a little while, and I'm sure Sonjin will have them running rag gad in no time. They could use a hand - what do you say Keiji?"

Keiji fist tightened as he sighed and allowed his hands to fall open. He looked up and nodded at Tiger, "yes Hokage Tiger." He bowed before turning around and heading out the door. Stopping only to call his pup at him.

Tiger again sighed in his seat, "I need a vacation..."

* * *

Back at Ruim's workshop Shiko was beginning to waken from her slumber. Slowly her eyes fluttered open. The world was a blur to her as she strained to get the room in focus. Then when it was all clear to her she was met by the gaze of head on the wall staring at her. She jumped a little in surprise but quickly came to the realization that it was not real. Slowly she extended her right index to poke at it a couple of times. "that's...so...cool!" She began to turn her head about to see the wonder/horrors of Ruim's workshop. Then her eyes fell upon Ruim sitting in a chair next to her. Quickly she sat and closed her eyes as he held her head low, "I'm sorry!" She shouted, "sorry for following you, but..." 

Ruim interrupted her, "you shouldn't apologize, or at least not at me. You only apologize if you regret doing something, and in my eyes you've done nothing wrong. In fact its quite the opposite." Ruim crossed his arms over his head, "You've done something extraordinary. You survived, and managed to following me without a moments rest. You have great potential Shiko, and with the right training...have you ever heard of the law of the desert, Shiko?"

Shiko opened her eyes and blinked, "law of the desert? What's that?"

Ruim shut his eyes as he uncrossed his arms and rested his palms on top of his knees. "They say that the desert punishes those who dare take it lightly, and blesses those who can survive it. You are indeed blessed, with either luck or strength."

Shiko's eye got big, then her stomach growled. She looked down at her empty stomach and became embarrassed. She hadn't eaten for days. She looked up at Ruim, "sorry..."

Ruim shook his head, "you shouldn't apologize." Ruim rose from his seat and waked towards the back rooms, "I dislike meaningless apologizes."

Shiko nodded, "so-" she caught herself and put her hands over her mouth. She sighed as she thought about her hunger, but those thoughts were dissolved by the sight of Ruim's workshop. It wasn't very well lit, and it had some scary shadows cast every which way, but it was all fascinating to her.

Ruim returned from the back with two small loafs of bread and a small wheel of cheese on a plate in on hand and in the other a glass of milk. Ruim extended them at Shiko who looked at them curiously, "I don't really eat much so this is all I have. Eat and regain some of your strength while I think of what to do with you."

She look at the food and her stomach growled. She reached for the plate and stopped, "do with me?" She pushed the plate away, "I'm not going back!"

Ruim brought his hands up, "Your family should be worried about you. By now they probably sent out the tracker nin. I give it no more then a week before they find out you're here in the Sand."

Shiko sat up quickly, "no!" She started to feel a little dizzy and sat back down, "I won't go back. I want to become a Shinobi. I want you Ruim to train." She lowered her head and pressed her palms on her knees, "I want to become a great shinobi like you Ruim."

Ruim shook his head. "Your not going to take no for an answer are you?" Shiko shook his head, "alright. I guess I am honor bound by the law of the desert. Eat first and we'll discuss the rules of this house." Shiko's eyes lit up as she nodded and took the food and milk and proceeded to wolf it down. She had been hungrier then she had originally thought.

When she had finished her meal she looked back up at Ruim and nodded, "I'm ready."

Ruim raised a his closed right hand. He raised his index, "first rule is under no circumstance you are not allowed into my work room without permission." Ruim pointed to the one hall that led to the back where there two doors. He pointed to the door on the right side that had a steel door. "If you dare try to open that door you will trigger the trap mechanism set on the door, and that could be fatal." He allowed his next finger to roll, "you WILL be working hard and I don't want to hear any complaints." The third rolled, "next is that you will fend for yourself. I don't store food in this place. All you will find here is poisons and chemicals." The next rolled, "you must be awake before the dawn breaks and be back here before it sets. There is no sleeping in and there is no staying out late without being accompanied by me." The last finger rolled, "finally. You will not apologize to me for anything. These are the rules you must live by for as long as you stay here. I will talk with our Lady Kazekage, Mirage. I am sure we can work something out with the Leaf."

Shiko nodded, "Yes...Ruim-sensei." Ruim nodded, "good. Pre-training starts now. We need to be sure you can survive training." Shiko nodded and rose on to her own two feet and waited anxiously. "First we need to determine what your role in combat is. Are you offense, defense, or support." Shiko raised her hand. "What is it?"

"Ruim-sensei...I want to do what you do." Ruim looked at her for a second before walking over to the table that stood towards the back of the room and picked up a scroll.

"The puppet arts are by no means easy. It takes hours of dedication to learn the fundamental and years to master. It will be a long while before you can simply cast your chakra threads and spring something to life." Shiko nodded. She had a look of determination as she focused. "The first step is to learn how to mold you chakra into threads. The number of threads usually represents the level of control you have. At first you'll only be able you use one puppet at any given moment, but the better you get the easier it will be to control puppets with less and less threads, and eventually you may even get good enough to control a puppet with a single finger, but that's a long time from now." Ruim set the scroll down and opened his hand. He began to mold his chakra into invisible threads of chakra that bridge his hand and the scroll. Then he began to feed more-and-more chakra till the threads were clearly visible. "The more chakra you use to control an object the easier it is to control, but this really only applies at certain times. Now is not one such time. This is he basic jutsu used in the puppet arts. Its so basic that it is barely consider a jutsu. The key to learning this technique is to gather your chakra and focus into your hands. Once you have that all you have to do is get your chakra to bridge." Ruim closed his hand and raised his arm. The scroll began to rise into the air, "then once its bridged you have to be able to keep it connect by constantly feeding chakra into it. You also need to be able to control the output so that when you tug the chakra thread stay constant in length or else," he let his control slip and the scroll hit the table and rolled off, "the thread will just get longer and longer till it reaches its limits. "Ruim tugged on the threads and it began to recede and with it the scroll came flying towards his hand. Ruim set it down on the table. "You try Shiko."

Shiko nodded and walked up to the scroll. She had had a few years at the academy before she was pulled out by her father. She knew most of the basics, and was mostly self taught. She preformed a couple of hand signs and built up her chakra into her hand. She focused, and tried her best to extend past her fingers. She was beginning to get frustrated, but she kept on trying. She was trying so hard that she forgot to breath a couple of times.

Ruim looked on and shook his head. He stepped behind her and placed his hand over hers. "Your trying to hard. You shouldn't force things." Shiko began to blush as she could feel his cold hand atop hers. She nodded, and he began to use his chakra like a guide. She could feel his chakra pass through his and through hers. "Now extend. Don't think about anything other then what you want to bridge to." Shiko nodded as she could feel her own chakra extending past her finger tips and down towards the scroll. She was almost there when Ruim let go of her hand and took a step away. She felt her chakra extending to the scroll. She felt it envelope the scroll. .Her heart began to beat furiously as slowly she lifted her hand and with it hopefully the scroll, but that wasn't the case. The scroll moved only the slightest before she lost her hold over the scroll and it just rolled off onto the floor, but she did not allow that to stop her. She squatted down and picked it up. She looked over at Ruim and nodded before setting back on the table and trying again.

Ruim looked on at what was his student. He was slightly amused by the idea that he had finally found a student worth his time. Through out all the genin squads he had sent back to the academy not one among them displayed the one thing Ruim was looking for. Determination. After working them to near death - none of them even tried to return to the village on their own two feet. Now this young girl willing endured a far worse test then what Ruim would've planned. He'd even bet that she could surpass him with the right training, and he was going to make sure she got it.

Ruim watch for another hour or so before he decided it was time to rest. "Shiko. Your about to miss the best part of all this. Take a break and follow me." Ruim walked towards the door and stopped only to make certain that Shiko had stopped before continuing out the door and down the few steps.

Quickly Shiko followed after Ruim into the streets to not find him in sight. Then she heard a whistle like sound from behind her. She turned around to see Ruim standing atop his run down little workshop. She quickly joined his. She sat with her legs dangle off the side of the building and looked up at Ruim, "What is it Ruim-Sensei?"

Ruim pointed to off towards the horizon. The workshop was just high enough that over the walls of earth that encompassed the village the desert sands were visible. The colors of the setting sun shimmer off the hot sands change the hues of it to darker shades then the last rays of light. "You don't want to miss the best part." Shiko's eye widen in wonderment as the desert seeming lit up. She was captivated by the colors. She looked up in surprise at her teacher. He was a surprising young man who, despite his hard demeanor was more then just the feared Shinobi of the Hidden Sands. She gazed off as the last rays were then consumed my the night and with it the warm. A slight shiver traveled up Shiko's spine as they the blistering hot days turned into a cold night.

* * *

N/C: Sonjin's Bad Day and Tyriel's lil Games


	3. Sonjin’s Bad Day and Tyril’s lil Game

Chapter3: Sonjin's Bad Day and Tyril's lil' Game

The call had been made for Squad 19 to assemble. They had each gotten their message viaa message system in which Rinoa sent out snakes, with messages attached, would slither up to and then up their leg.

The first to receive the message was Saru Ryu, she is only one of the only two remaining members of Ryu. She average in height for her age and wore a black tank top with armored chest plate and should piece that were trimmed with gold, a white skirt with long black pants. Around each of her wrists were similar armor to that on her chest and shoulders. Her long blond hair was pulled back, braided, and behind her ears were gold clips in the shape of a dragon's wing with a red jewel at the base.

Saru was about to sit down for lunch. She was walking through the village with her lunch in her hands. On this day she had herself a cup of instant ramen, and she was happy to eat it as soon as she found a good stop. He looked around when the sword on her back began to talk to her.

"Idiot. There's a snake following behind you…" It was Ryusho. Ryusho was once a fierce dragon, that wielded black flames, that was sealed inside the broadsword that was strapped to Saru's back. The sword cold only be held by someone of Ryu blood.

Saru stopped in her tracks and began to look around, "Ryusho. You shouldn't be so mean to me, or else I'll leave you in a stump." Her threats meant little to Ryusho, in fact he thought of Saru a lot like a stump - A useless person that people walk over.

Saru spotted the familiar sight of Rinoa's messenger snake and knelt down to pet it before taking the message from under its head and reading it over. She nodded as she read the last line and looked back at her sword, "I guess Rinoa-sensei wants us to meet up with the rest of the squad."

"Great…" Ryusho replied, "I get to hang out with you gaggle of idiots…" Saru took offense to what he said but shook it off and took off towards where she was suppose to meet her team.

The next to receive the call was Iga. He was a young man who was a little short for his age. He was sitting up in a tree near the training grounds of the Hidden Leaf. Iga's blond hair falling just short of his green eyes and a few strands trailed to either side of his nose. Around his neck was a long red scarf with a Hidden Leaf plate attached under his chin. He wore no shirt and so his well toned body was left open for all to see. The only thing blocking the view of his body was the sides of his scarf. Attached to his wrist were shackle cuffs that each had a large rings of chain attached that trailed up both his forearms and ended with an oddly shaped hammer. He wore a deep green pair of pants with heavy looking chain belt. It was a wonder that the branch he was sitting on did not break.

The snake began to slither up the tree when in a blur of brown fuzz a monkey dove out of the tree and wrestled with it momentarily. The little monkey wore around its waist a Hidden Leaf head band and it or a tiger strip vest. Iga in his tree shifted his wait around and jumped out of the tree. He landed with a loud crash and managed to separate the playful primate and the snake. "Now, now Momo…" Iga began removed the message from under the snake's head and read it over quickly. He sighed as he began to wonder where is day had gone.

The last to receive the message from Rinoa was Jowy Uchiha, the younger brother of Rinoa Uchiha. Jowy was sitting under a tree out side the Uchiha compound his long, black, braided hair falling to his right shoulder and then around his neck to the other shoulder. He wore a blue, sleeveless shirt. Around each of his forearms were brown leather guards that matched the strap that traveled around his waist and over his right should with could of metal rings at his left his and over the right side of his chest. The strap was entangled with a pale gold color sash. He wore loose fitting with pants, and between his legs and resting in the crook of his neck on the left side was a long blue bo staff with serpent heads, that had a topaz sphere in their mouths.

Jowy sat with his eyes closed under the shadow of the tree as gentle breeze blew through the branches. He was meditating, partly because it was a part of his training and partly to escape the annoying ramblings and lecture from his sister, but she hadn't been around since early that morning. His breath had been slow and deep for nearly an hour when his ears began to pick up a familiar sound in grass around him. It was the familiar sound of slithering serpent. He slowly allowed his dark eyes open to see what was before him. It was one of his sister's messenger snakes. He reached out and plucked the message from under its head and read it over quickly. He sighed as he rose to his feet and held his staff in his right and the message in the left. "Guess I won't have a day to myself." He sighed again as he crumpled up the message and headed off towards the designated meeting stop.

It didn't take long before squad 19 had gathered outside the building where the Hokage's office was. The first to arrive was Iga. He arrived with Momo atop his head. He was shortly after followed by Jowy.

Jowy stared at Iga for a moment before throwing his staff over his shoulders and resting it on his neck with his arms thrown over it. He shook his head at Iga, "you should know better then to hang around that monkey. He's been nothing but trouble."

Iga raised his fist at Jowy and shook his head. He wasn't about to let Jowy insult Momo. "Hey. Momo's been plenty of help. Don't forget he's still young and hasn't fully grasped the concept of mission dynamics."

Jowy shook his head, "he's been help? Name one time."

Iga stopped for a second to think and scratched his cheek for a second. "well…um…there was that one ti-"

Jowy cut Iga off before he could finish, "time where the monkey decided to take a nap in trash bag when we were commissioned to clean some lady's yard. That ended well. Just as we were done he burst out from the bag throwing trash everywhere, or how about the time we were sent to deliver a message. You thought it would be faster to just have Momo do it because he was faster then us. Well he ended up running us around in circles chasing him down for it."

Iga scratched his head, "well…he's playful…and full of energy!"

Jowy shook his head, "just keep an eye on that little pest."

Saru had arrived halfway through Jowy's rant and had thought back to the many missions that had been botched because of Momo, but she shrugged. She didn't mind the little guy so much because he helped keep things interesting.

Keiji, who had been hiding in the shade of another building watched squad 19 in there quarrel with his pup Shiromaru. He shook his head as he contemplated going over to his temporary squad but didn't want to impose on them. Slowly and shyly he slunk over. He didn't make it half way before his was spotted by Saru, who charged him for a hug. It had been accustomed to her to do this every time Keiji was assigned to her squad.

Keiji turned his head and gasped in the embrace of Saru. She was stronger then she looked and was beginning to squeeze the air out of his lungs. She let him go and waved, "how are you Keiji?"

Keiji looked down towards the ground and then back up at Saru, "I've been good…I guess."

Saru shook her head and waved over the rest of the squad. They all greeted Keiji in there one ways. Iga gave his a heavy slap on the back, which Keiji was sure that it would leave a bruise, and a head nod from Jowy.

The group was in the midst of catching up when from the building emerged Sonjin with a tray of freshly baked cookies. The sweet aroma caught the noses of the four and almost instantly they turned around to meet the stern faced Sonjin with his tray. In an almost instinctual way they formed a small half circle around him with their eyes fixed on the cookies and then up at Sonjin's face. Sonjin looked at the genin and sighed to see how easily they lost their composures at the sight of sweets.

Sonjin looked at them each in the eye. "Alright genin. Line up." Saru, Iga, Jowy, and Keiji got in line and carefully a waited for Sonjin to instruct them or give them a cookie. Sonjin looked at them again and extend his tray towards them and nodded. They did not hesitate to snag a cookie or two, even Momo snagged one. They were all munching away on their cookie when Sonjin began, "alright Squad 19. I will be in charge of your training till Ms. Uchiha returns from her mission. I expect that you will all be on your best behavior, as to make this go as smoothly as possible." Sonjin made eye contact with each before continuing, "I have a mission for us. It's a D rank mission and should prove not to be a problem." The genin sighed. They were, for the most part, bored with the lower missions and would much rather spent the day training to the point of total exhaustion then go on a boring mission.

Saru raised her hand and slightly confused he nodded in her direction. "Sonjin? Do you have any more cookies?"

Sonjin rested his hand on he forehead and shook his head, "no, I don't have anymore cookies, but when we are done with the mission I'll treat you to a meal."

The members of Squad 19 looked at each other, but Keiji's eyes shifted towards his feet. The distraction that was sugar did not keep his mind of the missing Shiko for very long and he was getting more worried by the hour. Then Shiromaru at his heel looked up at him with his eyes big and wide. It was right then that Keiji had decided to try for himself to find her. Slowly he looked to meet the stares of his teammates and he smile and nodded his head.

The squad were off to go do there mission. Sonjin had picked a much laid back mission. They were assigned to help restore some of the older building in Konoha. All the major construction had been completed and all that was left was to paint a couple of buildings. Each of the Genin carried a bucket of both red or white paint, and a paint roller. They were approaching their first building. It was a simple two story building with a hand full of windows. They all looked up and wonder how they were supposed to paint the entire building without the use of a ladder.

Sonjin stood in front of the squad and pointed out different spots that each person walked to and turned their heads back at Sonjin. When all members of the squad were in position he nodded and pointed to the very top of the building. "I assume that you are familiar with the tree walking technique. This is the same concept except you'll have to do it while painting and not leaving any foot prints in the paint."

Each member shook his head is disbelief. They scratched there heads and though how they'd be able to paint one building without getting their footprints in he paint. It was especially odd because they had two colors of paint to paint one building.

They looked back and forth at each and Saru broke out into a wind grin. She looked at Iga and he looked confused, but she pointed to the paint and then to Sonjin and he got it. He then conveyed the message to Jowy, who at first was not restive to the idea. He shook his head, but after a couple of looks from his partners he caved.

The three had to incorporate Keiji into their scheme. It they were going to need all the help they can get, but when they turned to keiji he was already on the roof with his bucket of paint. The three scratched their heads as they thought it over. Saru as the ring leader started to use her gestures. She pointed behind her where Sonjin was watching and motioned for him to distract him. She then turned Iga and pointed up towards Keiji. She smiled big and they broke to handle their individual duties.

It was effortless for Iga to scale the building. His extensive taijustu training ensures that much. He was walked up to Keiji and knelt down beside him. Momo climbed off him and started to chase Shiromaru, who really didn't seem to like the playful little monkey. They both looked back but returned their gaze to where they were; Keiji's past the wall and Iga's at Keiji.

"Keiji. Wanna help with a little prank," Iga asked noticing Keiji's gaze. He shook his noticing that his words didn't quite reach Keiji's ear. Playfully he pushed Keiji and he turned his. "I see your thinking hard. Its about Shiko right?"

Keiji being as timid as he was looked down before answering, "yeah. I just worried something might have happened to her."

Iga sighed, "I guess you wanna look for her yourself?" Keiji nodded, "then help us out. We're gunna give Sonjin a hard time. You could escape during the commotion."

Keiji paused to think and shook his head, "how would that get me out of the village?"

If Keiji could've seen his mouth then he would've of caught sight of a wicked grin, "we are gunna do what squad 19 does best. We're gunna raise hell. Just be ready to run for it. Oh and you can help out. Saru is going to dump some paint on Sonjin. Think you and Shiromaru can get his attention. Run into him or something." Keiji nodded and rose to his feet. Iga didn't bother to get up. He just rolled forward and off the building. He landed in a crouched position with a loud thud. Slowly he rose to his feet and dusted himself out.

Sonjin had been engaged in a conversation with Jowy, about some things he was having trouble with concerning charka control, when the sound of Iga crashing into the ground startled him. Sharply his head turned and Jowy started to wave a hand in the air. Keiji took this as his signal and started to run down the side of the building out of Sonjin's line of sight. Sonjin shook his head at how effortless Iga made his stunt seem and then turned his attention back to Jowy. Meanwhile Keiji was moving low fast and low to the ground.

Sonjin almost didn't catch it in time when Keiji was just millimeters away from him. Quickly he spun around and grabbed Keiji's wrist and pulled him into the ground. This was Jowy's signal. He was, in truth, very skilled with his charka control and began to build a chidori current around his body. He placed hand on Sonjin's neck which allowed the current to jump into Sonjin's body and paralyzed him. They had a couple minutes tops before he would be able to move and they would be running for there life.

Sonjin laid on the floor paralyzed and Saru came over with a bucket of red paint. Slowly she popped the lid and started to slowly poor the liquid over the entirety of Sonjin's body from the neck down. She had a special plan for his face and with the help of Iga and Jowy they managed to lift him up and dip his head in a bucket of white paint. That took all of a minute and a half and they then took off into separated directions.

It took only a couple of seconds before Sonjin was able to move again and he was heated. He first tried to get some paint that managed to get into his eyes out and the he built up his charka and created a burst of air that propelled paint on his body splattering against the wall. He looked around and took off in a direction. He was hell bent of finding each of them and personally seeing to their punishment.

Saru was rushing through the crowds of Konha, almost knocking a couple of people over and other things on the street. As she fled the scene Ryusho decided to embark his wisdoms on her, "you are a total moron…He's going to catch you first. In fact he is on your, very obvious, trail. He's closing in. Just a few yards away…"

Saru shook her head, "would you shut it Ryusho! I have to concentrate!" She turned her head back to look at her sword and it was that moment she ran straight into a net. She went tumbling and when she came to a stop she was looking into the sky.

"I never said which direction idiot…" Ryusho commented. Saru light dazed looked up to Sonjin's stern face. She shook her head and sighed. She had been caught.

Iga was looking for something that would give him the most bang for his buck, and he decided he could find that in Sonjin's private little kitchen in the building that housed the Hokage's office. With his speed he was able to make short time. He was unsure how long he had to plan this. He managed to get to, and in the building without incident. He even made it to the kitchen without a problem. Iga quickly grabbed the biggest bowl he could find and started mixing ingredient together. His hopes were that he'd be able to cook up a distraction.

Jowy had put some distance between him and the spot they left Sonjin. He had guessed that, since Saru was the lowest and weakest of the three, he'd be the second target. He was no where near as fast as Iga, but he was sure that he was smarter. He fled towards the hot springs. His plan was to use the women that were there as a mild distraction. But right as it was in view Sonjin was already in front of him. Quickly he spun on his heels and darted of. He used roof tops as his highway as he tried to make his escape. He bounced around the idea of using a summoning to correct his problem but was unsure if it would help or hurt more. He turned his head to see if he was being perused but felt a strange felling that something was in front of him so he dove, and just missed getting snagged by Sonjin who had managed to get in front of him. Jowy rolled off the building and into the streets. And leapt onto his feet and made a mad dash straight towards the Building that Iga was in.

Iga, back at the kitchen was mixing up a storm. He had exhausted all the yeast he could find in the building and made enough dough, to hopefully, burry the building. He had put it in the oven only a minute or so before Jowy exploded through the front door of the building. The sound of Jowy in bursting through the door caught Iga's attention and just cranked the heat in the oven and ran out the door. He made sure to leave the door open.

Sonjin came through the door a few seconds later. He looked around to see people staring confused at what was going on. He looked around and judged by the chaos that Jowy left in his wake that he had headed up the stares, and so he followed after.

Jowy didn't much time before Sonjin was yet again hot on his trail. He weaved in, out, and between the people who were roaming the halls and then he caught sight of a familiar set of chain up ahead. He was almost at the room but he knew Iga had beaten to the there. He burst through the now open roof door to see Iga overlooking the village. Iga turned around sharply as Jowy approach and then his eyes went wide as Sonjin came through the door. The two looked at each other.

"Do…the…two of….you…have…any last…words….?" Sonjin said between breaths. Jowy shook his head and looked to Iga.

Iga raised his hand and opened in the air and slowly drew his fingers into a fist. He had his thumb left when he shook his head, "boom."

At that moment the building began to rattle as Sonjin's oven exploded and out from it flooded the beastly amount of cooking dough. It flooded into the hall and pressed people against the walls of the building. The sound that came from his oven was so violently loud that it echoed throughout the village as a stack of smoke poured out of the build.

Keiji was by the gate that led out south of the village in the direction if the Neutral Territory. The sound caused the Shinobi on guard duty to scramble. Most fled into the village to see what the commotion was and as the argued amongst themselves Keiji and Shiromaru slipped out. He had left without any supplies and had a couple of days before he'd be at the Neutral Territory. It was there he hoped to find information on Shiko's whereabouts.

* * *

In the Hidden Sand Shiko was growing ever more skilled under the watchful eyes of Ruim. She worked almost endlessly. She was determined to become a great puppeteer and the basic exercises, though tedious, yielded incredible results for Shiko the more she worked at them. She had masters the concept of bridging her charka just started the concept of control using a small and very simple marionette that had been carved to look just like her. 

Ruim watched as she moved the marionette on the table she was sitting at. She was supposed to move the marionettes parts in a pattern. First the left hand then the left arm followed by the right foot and right leg. She'd repeat the process with the opposite side.

He watched with his are crossed over his chest and his back to a wall of marionettes.

It has only been three days of training and already Shiko had already reached the stage of her training where she practiced her basic motor skills with a marionette. Shiko had yet to stop showing promise. With everyday that past her resolve grew greater.

Ruim was at a crossroad. He had yet to speak to the Kazekage about Shiko and was unsure if she'd be allowed to stay in the village under his care. He disliked the idea of giving up such a promising student to the Hidden Leaf where it was obvious her talents would go unnoticed. He was unsure whether to wait for the Kazekage and her caravan to return from the neutral territory, where she was in taking part in a meeting with the other leaders of various villages about the upcoming Chunin exams in three months, or wait two weeks for her to return. He didn't have much time to think about it though. Tyriel burst through the door in his usually cheerful manner.

Tyriel came through the door with a grin on his face, but spotted upon spotting Shiko sitting at the table playing with her marionette. His eyebrows arched high and Ruim took a couple of steps off the wall. "What do we have here? Ruim you dog. Who's she?"

Ruim motioned and open hand at Shiko, "Her name is Shiko."

Shiko, having heard her name turned around to see the somewhat scary looking Tyriel looking at her. She got up and then hid behind Ruim; just enough for the majority of her was behind him but enough that she could see to the side of his shoulder. Tyriel chuckled as he came in closer to examine her.

Ruim looked over his shoulder at Shiko and motion with a hand towards Tyriel, "Shiko. This is Tyriel Stone. He and I go as far back as our genin days."

Tyriel chuckled, "a timid little thing. I don't see why you'd keep her around." Shiko took offense and stepped out behind Ruim with her hands on her hips. Tyriel smiled, "don't do anything rash or I might have to blow off your head."

Shiko's eyes narrowed and she took a step forward, one hand balled into a fist ready to strike out against Tyriel, but Ruim raised his hand in her way and shook his head, "you will have to forgive my apprentice. She is new to the ways things are." He looked over at Shiko whose eyes drifted towards the floor, "and you will have to forgive Tyriel. He had no manners to begin with."

Tyriel winced, "not cool man, not cool." He shook his head and threw his hands into the air. "I guess I should tell you now. I have some news! I met this red head and me and her are going over to the neutral territory and thought it might be a good idea to get you out of this stuffy box you call home."

Ruim raised right hand to his chin and thought it over. Tyriel's offer couldn't have come at a better time. It was safer for him to travel in a group, though he could make the trip faster alone, but then again having Tyriel around almost guaranteed that they would encounter few confrontations with enemy shinobi. He nodded. "We will go with you."

Shiko's expression was one of shock while Tyriel's was ecstatic. He looked Ruim in the eye and nodded. By now Ruim knew what was expected of him during these trips. His job was to see to it that nothing interfered with his plans with his lady friend. Shiko looked up at Ruim with a dumbfounded expression. She did not care for Tyriel in the least and was a little afraid of him.

Tyriel shook Ruim's hands and he was on his way, whistling a cheerful tune. Shiko look shook her head and stat down at the table and picked up her small marionette and looked at it for a second.

"Shiko. Here." She turned around to see Ruim offer a sum of money she looked at and then up and Ruim. "This is to buy any supplies you'll need for our trip. That includes food, water, and proper attire." She nodded and smile. Ruim took a step to the side and allowed her to pass. She went into the streets of the village to shop as Ruim went to his workroom to pack.

Later that evening Shiko and Ruim left for the exit of the village. They meet at the exit Tyriel and his companion Druesilla. They group was formally introduced and with their bags on their backs and wrapped in a cloak they were off to the Neutral Territories and the wonders it held.

N/C: A Magnetic Personality


	4. A Magnetic Personality

Chapter4: A Magnetic Personality

The years spent after Orochimaru's passing was spent in disarray for those who were once his loyal followers. The shinobi scattered and lost without a leader reverted into a similar state from before his arrival, but one man took the challenge of reuniting the former Hidden Sound Village and raised it up. Since its re-founding the village has been know for there exceptional skills in the sciences.

The current leader of the Hidden Sound is Aju Shimimaru. In the eyes of those residing in the Hidden Sound he is regarded as embodiment of Orochimaru. Though over recent months he has fallen ill, he is feared by his enemies for his awe inspire power and beloved by his people for his grace and kindness. Aju is in his mid 40s and is considered more fearsome an opponent then when he was younger. It is by his hand he the village is guided to, what he hopes, becoming the next great shinobi nation.

In the Village Hidden in Sound there is but no other clan with prestige of the Ayame clan. The Ayame clan was the first clan born and breeds in the village to establish a genkai lineage, though the clan itself is only 70 years old. There are only genkai lineages in the sound but none as unique as the Ayame. There strange powers are kept secret from all but the highest ranking members of the village, and beyond its wall even fewer.

At this time there aren't many member remaining after the events of 30 years ago. The clan embarked on a pilgrimage to an unknown location and of all them only one returned, Asuna Ayame. In her later years she was the head of the Research and Jutsu Development Department of the Hidden Sound. Her specialty lay with experimenting on the living and manipulating the spirit.

The Ayame clan now only consists of herself, her son Akira, and his two children, Arebra and Algta. Akira has for the past 15 years retired from the life of a Shinobi. His daughter, Algta, is a currently a genin for the Hidden Sound and so is her brother, Arebra.

Ruim and crews' journey from the Hidden Sand to the Neutral Territories was uneventful at best. The days it took to cross the desert and then into forests seemed hardly worth anything, but it was a good trip none the less.

The group moved passed the first territory and into the next. Night had begun to creep up on them as they entered the area surrounding the second territory. This was Tyriel and Druesilla's stop.

Tyriel led Druesilla by the hand as they searched for a place to get a meal. Tyriel shook his head as he passed building after building till he came to a stop at a place Ruim knew. It was Tadao's bar. Tyriel looked over his shoulder at Druesilla and smiled. He then motioned Ruim over. "We're going to stop here for a bit. If you want to you can keep moving, but I doubt Shiko can keep up with your pace for long." Tyriel shook his head, "There are a handful of people who can."

Ruim looked over at Shiko who stood next to him with her backpack in hand and her eyes staring at him wide. He looked at the entrance to Tadao's place, and nodded. "We will take off in the morning. We have business to attend to."

Shiko's face lit up as she raced past Tyriel and Druesilla and into the bar. Tyriel stifled a chuckle and proceeded in with Druesilla at hand. Ruim looked up at the building and nodded before walking in for the first time.

Tadao's bar wasn't in the least busy. Tadao was behind the bar talking to an older man with a cane beside him. He was wearing a black cloak. Every few seconds he'd start coughing up blood, and Tadao would then reach across the bar and pat him on the back.

There was another group that was sitting off at a corner table near the door. There were four people. They each wore a different headband. At the table sat a member of the stone, mist, rain, and cloud. They kept to themselves as they drank and discussed something in low mumbles.

Then he saw his group at a table. Tyriel had his arm around Druesilla and Shiko stood waving his way. Ruim approached his group when Tadao stopped him. He said something to the man he was speaking with then gave a small bow before he hopped over the counter and came over to greet Ruim. "It has been awhile."

Ruim shook his head, "not really." He looked over towards his group to find Shiko now sitting. "Tadao. Do you have any food?"

Tadao nodded as he went back to the counter and hopped it. He looked back at the man he had been talking with and nodded. He bent over and pulled out a bowl of instant Ramen. He opened it and pulled out a teapot. He brought his hands together and breathed out a low flame and heated the water to a boil before closing his mouth, and picking up the pot and pour the water into the bowl. "Here you go. Enjoy."

Ruim nodded as he grabbed the bowl and reached into his pocket and dropped some money on the counter. "It's not for me." He turned around and started to walk to his table.

Tadao shook his head, "he needs to loosen up a little." He looked over at the person he was talking to. "I'm sorry for the interruption Lord Shimimaru."

Ruim slid the bowl in front of Shiko, "eat." Shiko looked down at it and then up at Ruim.

"I can't. Its too hot sensei," she said as she dipped her finger into the water and pulling it back. Ruim looked down at her and she gazed back at him.

Ruim joined them at the table and they began. Tyriel talked about old times and how he and Ruim were like as genin. "You should've seen him Shiko. Ruim was just a mess. He was everywhere and no where and man was he a jerk!"

Shiko looked at her sensei and thought. In the time she had known him he had known him, and he was always so calm, collected, and focused. "So Tyriel. What else can you tell me about sensei?"

Tyriel scratched his head. "Well Ruim was so lazy and laid back. It's hard to believe he would've ever made it this far, but I guess-" he stopped mid thought of the name he was about to utter. He shook his head and took a breath. "I guess it was all her doing…aight that right Ruim…"

Ruim crossed his arms in front of his chest as he closed his eyes and nodded. "That is correct, but that's not to say it didn't have an impact on you." Tyriel nodded.

The energy of that night was almost at a standstill after that moment. Tyriel's seemingly limitless energy froze over and he was operating at half full, and a few hours later they were all tired. Tadao came over with an offer.

"Ruim. As payment for what you did for me I'll let you have one of the back rooms. It's past the bar and second door on the right. It's yours to use as long as you need it." Ruim nodded and turned his head towards Shiko.

"You heard Tadao Shiko. If you feel the need to sleep rest then go ahead. I'll be up for a while longer. I have some business to attend to in town." Shiko nodded. "Tyriel. Druesilla. Do as you please, but I'll be back later." Ruim rose from his seat and nodded at Tadao as he began his walk out the bar.

Tyriel looked over at Druesilla, "I think we should hit the hay. I'm a little tired."

Druesilla had a playful shocked expression. "Well now I've seen everything. Ty would rather go to bed then stay up with me?" He nodded and began rubbing his neck.

"Sorry but I not up to anything else tonight, but I promise we'll have a hell of a day tomorrow." He flashed a wickedly playful grin. He rose from his seat and extended a hand. Druesilla looked at it for a second before allowing herself to be helped up. The two exited and went a few building down were they managed to find lodging.

Tyriel was tossing and turning that night - his body in a sweat and his mind racing in the world of dreams. The world of his dream was consumed by desert rains. It was one of the few storms the desert saw a year. Tyriel was running through the streets of the Hidden Sand. His heart pounding hard and fast with every step he took. It felt as though he was going nowhere. He was chasings someone. He was sure of it, but he couldn't seem to figure out whom. All he knew was that he had to catch up before it was too late.

Tyriel turned a corner and there in the stood who he was chasing. The tall man wore a sand storm tattered cloak. It was the came color as the rain soaked sand. The man turned around his black hair drenched. The man looked at Tyriel his face soaked, but not from the rain, but from tears. Tyriel could feel his own eyes welling up.

"Sensei!" Tyriel shouted as he attempted to close the gap, but was sent reeling through the air by a splitting wind. His body landed hard against the wet sand and he was in a slight stun. Slowly he pushed off the sand to rise to a single knee. What stood before him was the accursed blade, Tempest, floating in the air. Its glass like chamber resonating green as it hung in the air. "Tempest…" He rose to his feet and the point of the blade shifted to point at his throat.

Tyriel's body wouldn't respond. He tried to stand up but he couldn't move. Every fiber of him burned in an intense pain. He struggled in the puddle till be manage to turn to face the blade and his sensei. "Why…" he said to himself as he lay in the puddle.

Then the man walked over and knelt down beside Tyriel, and Tempest drew nearer as the man did. He looked down at Tyriel and shook his head. "Where I am going you can not follow. You have too much ahead of you to suffer my fate." He looked over at Tempest in the air, "I think this belongs to you." He reached out and grabbed Tempest and brought it down to Tyriel's hand. "From this day forward you shall be one of the four winds. You will continue where I left off…I wish you better luck then I…" He reached out and ruffled Tyriel's hair, "I need to go now. There is no other way for it to be." He rose up and looked down at Tyriel. "Be strong and good bye…"

Tyriel tried to speak. He opened his mouth but nothing was coming out. He watched as his sensei walked off and disappeared in the rain. He looked down at the blade in his hand and felt it begin to move. It rose above him and he gazed deeply at it. Then the blade plunged down at his face. It was that moment Tyriel shot up out of bed breathing heavily. He grasped his face in his right hand and felt the warm tears from his eyes mix with the cold sweat of his body. He shook his head and got out of bed. Slowly he stumbled to the window that led outside and gazed into the breaking darkness. The dawn was approaching and he had a bad feeling.

Ruim stood on the roof of Tadao's bar watching the dawn break. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest. He decided to allow Shiko to sleep. He had much on his mind. Tyriel's words from the night had drudged up memories in Ruim's heart. He stood staring at the dawn thinking of _her_. He was brought back to those nights in the desert. Back when it was just the three of them and their sensei. Then he felt a pain in his chest. It was a pain he had thought he had rid himself of long ago. He shook his head and kept his focus on the horizon. The day had begun. 

A few hours later the Neutral Zone was buzzing with people, and Tadao's bar was opened at 10 a.m. He wasn't selling alcoholic beverages but a social setting. He stood behind the counter cleaning a glass with a rag when Shiko walked out for the back room looking for Ruim. She couldn't seem to find him anywhere in the back. She even looked for him on the roof but to success. She was getting worried when Tyriel and Druesilla walked into the bar. Quickly she ran up to Tyriel and bombarded his with a series of question. He shook his head to the few questions he caught and replied, "don't be so worried about Ruim. He can handle himself. He'll show up sooner or later."

He walked over and nearly collapsed in a seat. He shook his head and looked over towards Tadao. "Can I get a cup of your strongest coffee?" Tadao nodded and began to brew it.

Druesilla walked up behind him and started to rub his shoulders, "I see you're not yourself this mourning. Guess you're tired from being up so early." Tyriel nodded in her hands.

Shiko shook her head and reluctantly took a seat. She sat to Druesilla was next to her. She was still, very much so, scared of Tyriel. She didn't have time for her seat to warm before someone else walked in.

It was a relatively young man. No older then 14 in age. He has the most vibrant green eyes Shiko had even seen. It was almost as if they glowed. His hair was as white as snow and had a feathered look to it as it fell around his face. He wore a rosy deep blue get up. With a mesh shirt and a white sash running from his right shoulder and wrapped around his hip. His pants were baggy and the same color as his shirt. Around his neck lay a Hidden Sound headband.

The young man looked around the seemingly empty establishment and spotted Tyriel's Hidden Sand band. He made a _tsk _sound before commenting, "What a shame. Useless sand nin."

The words of the young boy crossed Tyriel's ear and he rose to his feet and slammed his hand against the table, effectively causing it to break, "what you say punk!"

The young man rolled his eyes and raised his hands towards his face, "I said. Useless sand nin. Your all nothing more then an over played joke! The Sand is on its last legs. They are desperate to hold onto the few good shinobi they have, which isn't saying much since they are so much weaker then everyone else."

Now Shiko rose to her feet in outrage at the arrogant words of the young man, "Shut up! You have no right-" She was then suddenly cut off by Tyriel stretching his arm out.

"You have no right to speak so ill of the Sand. You are far too young to even begin to understand just how weak you are. Let me guess. A fresh genin?" Tyriel said as he approached a little closer to the young man.

The young man shook his head, "hardly fresh. And let me guess. Your one of those _legendary_ sand nin. Which are hmm…? There is Tyriel of the Gale. That loser couldn't win a fight without his blade. Ruim of the Black Sands, that puppet freak is far to into dolls, and so is that other one Kisho the Green Construct, and there was two more…what were there names…?" He scratched his chin and sighed, "It doesn't matter. There not import. All of them are Sand scum." Tyriel clenched his fist in anger but Tempest beat him to the draw. It began to react violently as it freed itself and floated between Tyriel and the young man. "I guess you're Tyriel and this must be the thing you can't fight without. Pathetic."

Tyriel brought his hands together and began to build charka into his mouth. He wasn't going to stand for a sound genin to insult him or his comrades. He opened his mouth and the bullet began to form when mysteriously the bar began to rumble and the ceiling began to crumble. Quickly Tyriel stopped and grabbed a hold of Shiko and Druesilla. He opened his mouth and shot a massive air bullet at the collapsing ceiling to protect them. It was a mere couple of seconds before the bar laid in ruins. Tadao emerged from the rumbled in raged. So much so his eyes narrowed into slits.

Meanwhile while the destruction of Tadao's bar could be heard and seen all over the Neutral Zone someone was emerging out of it forest near the very edge of the forest leading to the Revival Zone. He was clad in black and wore his headband on his arm. His dark hair messy and sloppy his expression was one of grief. Next to him walked a white pup. The sounds echoing from the collapse of the bar caught his ear and he rushed to the seen to see what had happened. He made it just into to feel a sudden burst of air fly past him. He stopped as he caught the odd scent of metal from the air, but was more focused on helping at the scene of destruction.

He watched Tadao stomp around cursing as Tyriel check on Druesilla for any injuries. She was perfectly fine and was more worried about treating Tyriel's cuts and scraps from the falling ceiling. Shiko looked around a little stunned of what happen but was more concerned with finding the remains of the person who been talking so ill of the Sand, but she could not find a thing.

Then Ruim appeared. He looked at the destruction and turned to Tyriel. "What happened here."

Tyriel looked at his dear old friend and began to go over what had the young man said. Ruim shook his head. The feature of the young man was most unusual. To his recollection he could not pin down a clan in which those traits belonged to. He then saw the dog sniffing around the rubble and looked around for his owner. He could only assume that the owner was the one person he did not know.

N/C: Desert Breezes


	5. Desert Breezes

Chapter5: Desert Breezes

Chapter5: Desert Breezes

Tadao, still enraged, began the process of cleaning up. He squatted down and let out a huff as he lifted a piece of wood and tossed it aside, "next time I see that brat…" he muttered as he tossed more wood to the side.

Ruim shook his head as he began to stroke his chin, "I feel your loss Tadao. If you would like Tyriel, Druesilla, Shiko and I shall assist you?" Shiko nodded as she moved to her sensei's side and waited for instructions.

Tyriel nodded in agreement, "if you'd like I can get you the wood."

Tadao rose to his feet, "sure but it shouldn't take too long." He scratched his head as he looked around and counted more heads then he remembered. He pointed to the white pup, "whose is that?"

Out of seemingly nowhere the black haired boy appeared in a blur as he snatched up his pup, "he's mine." He stopped to look around, "what happened here?"

Tadao shook his head, "it's a long story. What do you want kid?"

The boy pointed at himself with his pup in his arms, "Me? InuAcosta want to help!"

Tadao placed his hand on his forehead and sighed, "I didn't ask for your name…" All Tadao could do was point around, "just keep yourself busy. I need to concentrate."

Shiko seeing the pup in InuAcosta's hands couldn't help but run over, the pup reminded her of her best friend's pup and she just couldn't help herself. She stood before InuAcosta with one finger on her lower lip as she stared up at InuAcosta, "um…can I pet him?"

InuAcosta caught a little off his guard nodded, and in what could only be described as a joyful explosion Shiko jumped up before beginning to pet the dog. InuAcosta leaned back a little as to allow her to pet the pup and not push him in the process. Shiko had a large grin on her face as she began to reminisce about her days spent in the Leaf and with Keiji.

"What's his name?" Shiko asked curiously as she gently stroked the pup's head.

InuAcosta looked down at the pup before responding, "Senko."

Tyriel cracked his knuckles as he looked around at the destruction, unsure of what ever became of the white haired boy who only moments ago had engaged him an exchange of violence. He thought only a moment as he began to walk off towards the woods giving only a wave as he left. Druesilla quickly followed after Tyriel, who seemingly was caught in a trance.

Tadao couldn't help himself he instructed the Ruim, Shiko, and InuAcosta about as they moved the wood into a massive pile. Each person had their own method of moving the wood about. Ruim used his infamous puppet technique to thread wood and move with the flick of his wrist. Shiko stood in amazement at her sensei's seemingly effortless ability to use chakra threads. She herself tried her hand at it but could only move single piece at a time. She eventually gave up on this method and stuck to good old manual labor.

InuAcosta and Senko had their own way of moving wood as well, but they leaned towards further destroying the wood they run past each piece as InuAcosta would scoop it up Senko would break the flying piece. This made their job easier because the bits were light and easy to toss into the pile.

While things seemed fine with the clean up crew Tyriel on the other hand had his own tasks ahead of him. He looked around for suitable wood. He would walk up to a tree and examine the width and height then the texture of the bark before he made any decision. He eventually found a ring of trees he deemed suitable and began the task at hand.

Tyriel stood quietly in the middle of the trees with his head down and his blade at hand. Tempest seemed to resonate with each beating of Tyriel's heart. The slow thud met with the slow pulse as he prepared for what he expected to be a skillful execution of his technique.

Druesilla watched with anticipation at what Tyriel was doing. Unsure of all the details she simply waited for the climatic moment Tyriel would actual do something.

Then it happened. In one fluid motion Tyriel's eyes shot open as swiped his Tempest is a circular motion above his head and then around his body. The releasing current of air collided with each of the trees that encompassed the ring. Slowly they began to move, it was a clean cut. Then he proceed to let out more cutting winds with Tempest till the once tall, thick trees stood in pieces around him, all the same length and width. With a smug grin Tyriel thought to himself, "damn I'm good…" Then he realized that he had no idea as to how he was going to move all the wood he cut to the construction site. He scratched his head and chuckled, and as he did so Druesilla looked at him funny, unsure herself what was so funny.

Back with Tadao and the other everything was just about done. In record time the group had managed to pile the remains of the bar into one massive pile. Tadao stood atop it and gave a long whistle before addressing his peers, "Thanks everyone for the help. I'll handle it from here. It'd be best to step back…"He made a single hand seal as he preformed his jutsu. Quickly everyone jumped back as a small black orb appeared above Tadao's head. He then leapt from the pile before the black orb began to suck everything into itself. It a matter moments the massive remains of the bar were gone and everyone one was in awe at the fearsome jutsu.

When everything was gone he made another hand sign and the black orb shot up into the sky before erupting in a massive explosion over the Neutral Territory. He smirked, "a time/space jutsu. Courtesy of the brilliance of the Hidden Sound." He waved at them before disappearing with the use of yet another time/space jutsu.

Tyriel had finally managed to gather all the wood together and using all the wire he kept on his person, managed to tie the wood into neat stacks. He had finished the last stack when Tadao appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Startled a little Tyriel jumped, not expecting Tadao to _pop_ out of nowhere.

Tadao gave a whistle and a nod as he thanked Tyriel for all his hard work and then used his time/space jutsu to teleport the wood, Tyriel, and Druesilla, to the sight of the new bar.

Tyriel a little shaken up became slightly confused. He's never really been teleported anywhere before. Druesilla had a very similar response to the whole thing. Tadao then began his work as he removed the wires. He stopped for a second and looked over his shoulder, "hey Ruim. This'll take me a while but if you haven't yet been to The Eye of the Shinobi, then you should head down town and catch a battle or two. It's always an excellent place to gather any information."

Ruim nodded in agreement but Shiko didn't quite understand. She looked over towards Ruim with those big Shiko like eyes of wonderment and asked. "The Eye of the Shinobi is the name of the battle coliseum here in the Neutral Territory. It as a rather large place filled with all sorts of terrain to help aid the dueling Shinobi who enter it. It's called the Eye of the Shinobi because from above the way the place is set up it looks like a massive eye staring up into the sky. The set up is simple. The outermost part is a large river that circles the battlefield and has several paths leading in towards their source in a small mountain. Between it is a large thicket of trees and to top it all off separating the trees is a ring of desert sand." Just by looking at Shiko he could tell what would happen next. He could see she wanted to go and so quickly he went over how much time he had left before the Kages were all free to return to their own lands. "Shall we go Shiko?"

Shiko nodded and then grabbed InuAcosta by the arm, "can he come too sensei?" Ruim nodded, and she began to drag the compliant InuAcosta with her. She didn't even bother for directions she just simply took off with InuAcosta and Senko.

Tyriel chuckled, "I see she's got energy to burn Ruim." He raised an eyebrow at Ruim as they stood still, "me and Druesilla are going to catch up with them. See you in a bit?" Ruim nodded and Tyriel grabbed Druesilla's hand and soon he was off down the street.

Ruim looked around briefly then shook his head before he made the long walk down the street towards The Eye of the Shinobi. He hoped that his trip would not be a waste of his time and that he could get some good information to update his own personal bingo book, but he was unsure who or what he may find at the infamous site.

It took no more than twenty or so minutes before Shiko and InuAcosta had managed to find The Eye. She looked up at the towering structure with growth casting a shadow over them all. Her eyes went wide in amazement as she heard the roar of the crowd. It was almost like the sound of thunder. It just boomed from within and just as fast as it started it stopped. She could hardly contain her excited as she looked around for the entrance all the while leading InuAcosta by the arm.

It didn't take long till Ruim, Tyriel and Druesilla were in view. The five of them stood at the threshold of the gates and simply began their way in. It was a free service and since everyone was already armed there seem little reason to have security. If something happened the crowd would have handled it, one way or another.

They walked through a seemingly dark hall with only a faint glimmer of light at the end. Each step echoed around as there seemed to be a lack of any other sound, as if they were the only ones there, but then it happened again. The same uproar that had greeted Shiko when she first arrived outside The Eye was again in full force the battlefield fully visible. Shiko ran off into the light and was met by the view of the battle field. It was all massive as Shiko leaned over a rail to try and get a better view of what was going on. Her eyes scanned the area in her view to catch sight of a familiar white hair boy. She looked around to see a charred mass off in the distance. Unsure of everything herself, she only felt a rage build up inside her as remembered the boy and what he had done earlier in the day.

Then Tyriel came up next to Shiko and too saw the image of the same boy who had gotten on his nerves, "I wondered where he had gone." He motioned everyone to hurry up. Ruim appeared next to Tyriel in time to watch the boy look up into the crowd. He knew they had been seen because he watched him and Tyriel's eyes make contact as they began to exchange a series of thoughts, and it was in that quick exchange of glances that a challenge was made, but the boy simply began to make his exit.

Then Ruim began to pick up on various things from the crowd such as, "did you hear…that boy hasn't lost all day…twelve fights consecutively..." Ruim's interest was peaked by the white hair youth. He stroked his chin till he caught ear of a familiar and annoying voice in the distance.

"Hatake Shiko!" Ruim looked to the source to see the ever vigilant blonde known only as Rinoa Uchiha. "Do you know you have the entire village in an uproar!" Her eyes then narrowed as to either side of her she saw Tyriel and Ruim. "And you! What did you do to her!"

Ruim threw his hands into the air, "I did nothing Rinny. She came followed me home. I've decided to make her my apprentice."

It was all a blonde blur as she moved from her location in the crowd to right in Ruim's face, "you know how I hate it when you call me Rinny!" She turned her attention to Shiko, "now come home Shiko. Your family misses you, your father wants you home."

Shiko hid behind Tyriel before addressing Rinoa, "I'm not going. I like it in the Hidden Sand."

Rinoa seemed slightly infuriated at her response, "whether you like it or not you going to return Shiko. It my mission to bring you back. Besides, I owe it to your brother to look after you…now come back with me Shiko…please?" She reached out towards Rinoa but Tyriel intercepted her hand grabbing lightly at her wrist.

"I don't know what's going on here Rinny…" He said in a sarcastic tone. Up until that point in time he had only heard of Rinoa Uchiha but never actually met her in person. He gave her a good look over and gave a cocky grin, "but you heard the girl. She's part of the sand band. Respect her wishes or we might have a problem."

Ruim looked between the two of them and sighed. Knowing both all too well they were as stubborn as a mule and wouldn't back down, and if something wasn't done soon a fight could potentially be on the rise, so he did the only thing he could. "How about a challenge Rinny? If you win then Shiko goes with you. If we win Shiko stays with us." He then pointed a finger at Tyriel and Rinoa and then drew them close together, "the two of you fight it out in the arena. Right now."

A grin grew on Tyriel's face as he nodded, "I'm down how bout you Rinny."

She clenched her fists as she backed off, "oh this shouldn't be long."

Tyriel chuckled, "you're right it won't, but thanks for acknowledging my greatness." He gave a thumbs up which only helped to further fuel the flames.

The two jumped over the railing and into the battlefield they both landed in the crouched position and then they began to rise, then sound of an announcer began to eminent. "We have ourselves another match. The excitement never stops here in The Eye! It looks like I have a special guess with me today. The infamous Ruim of the Black Sands! So what do you think is in store for this match? Who are our competitors anyway?"

Rinoa and Tyriel looked around for the sound spotted a booth off to the side where Shiko and InuAcosta stood beside. They then locked gazes and shot off into opposite directions.

"Today we have Tyriel of the Gale and Rinoa Uchiha. It should prove to be a most interesting match considering the two individuals are both of a high skill level."

Tyriel began to move swiftly through the trees in search of what he loved best, sand and all its infinite glory. He knew that on the sand he had a distinctive advantage of Rinoa, and he had to move quickly because it wouldn't take Rinoa too long to find him with those eyes of hers. He didn't bother to remove Tempest from his side and just as he saw the sight of sand he stopped and began to plot, but he didn't have too long before a massive fireball came flying through the trees, destroying most anything in its path.

To avoid the blast Tyriel jumped down from the tree only to be met by a large open mouth. With some fancy maneuvering he made excellent use of a substitution quickly switching with an incoming log. He appeared off towards the sand. His could feel the hot sensation of sand between his toes and for a second he had ha homesick feeling, but he didn't have too long before another massive snake lunging out the trees at him. He jumped back only to dodge the snake my mere inches but as he hung in the air another snake burst forth form the sand.

Tyriel looked back at the threat behind him and thought _"I can't look bad in front of Drue…" _Acting quick on his feet he reach behind him for a smoke bomb and hurled tossed it back at the second snake. The bomb collided with the snake's nose as it exploded releasing a thick black smoke.

When the smoked settled the snake that had been struck with the bomb was on its side twitching from a sensory overload. Tyriel stood with a cocky grin and he mentally thanked Ruim for the tools he had on him. He didn't have long to marvel in his own glory before the first snake was back at its assault. Tyriel moved left and right with incoming strike as he tried to figure out where the snake charmer Rinoa was hiding herself. He reached into his bag of trick and pulled out another smoke bomb and with careful planning lobbed it at the nostrils of the overgrown snake. The sudden explosion had a similar affect on the first snake as it did on the second.

Using the confusion of the smoke he reached into his bag and pulled out a pair of gloves which he quickly slipped on and began to perform his sand clone jutsu. Five clones began to rise from the sand but all of a sudden they sank back into the piles of sand they once were. It was a jutsu neutralizing jutsu, which meant Rinoa wasn't too far away.

The smoke settled to reveal Tyriel fully visible and lacking in control. His small victory over Rinoa's overgrown bets seem minuscule as the likely hood would be that she would try and neutralize his jutsu, making them only a waste of his chakra.

It wasn't long before the snake that was struck first by the smoke bomb was up and slithering again, and though he hated the idea, he was going to have to rely on his short supply of tools. Reaching into the back on his side he pulled out three kunai with exploding tags. Quickly he waited for the snaked to lunge at him and as soon as it mouth opened Tyriel through the first kunai into the snake's mouth.

The Kunai embedded itself in the roof of the snake's mouth before exploding, but as the tag exploded the snake was dismissed and a white puff of smoke erupted at the explosion site. He then moved on to the next snake which was starting to get back up to fight. He threw two kunai at its heads with the same results as the first.

He looked around and grinned, "Oh, I guess Rinny isn't strong enough to handle me herself. How lame." He began to wag his index in front of his face, "and here I though this might actual be a real fight. What a bore…!"

His provoking seemed to work as three large snakes slithered out from the trees the largest of which in the middle and on top of its head stood Rinoa Uchiha, tall and proud, and hiding behind her rosy shades. She had her hands at crossed over her chest and she looked down at Tyriel, "What do you mean! You've lost this one. Admit it."

Tyriel smiled, "not by a long shot." He raised his hands together and began to perform seals. Piles of sand began to rise and take form but quickly Rinoa uncrossed her hands and began to neutralizing them one-by-one. Tyriel took this time to capitalize. His body began to seemingly disappear as he moved. The only sigh of him was the burst of sand from the point he took off from. In no time he was directly in front of Rinoa's face with his fist flying at her face. She had no just but to stop what she was doing and address the threat of Tyriel's attack. She threw her arms up toward her face and took the blow which sent her flying off her snake and leaving Tyriel atop it.

The snakes' didn't take kindly to Tyriel and almost immediately attacked him but he was too quick for them and they each lunged at the larger snake's head which only started a miniature battle of their own as the larger snake attacked both the smaller ones out of rage.

Tyriel and Rinoa squared off as they peered at one another. Tyriel brought his hand up into the air and a chalky dust like cloud appeared as he inhaled and performed a couple of hand seals.

Rinoa shook it off as she watched air begin to swirl around his mouth as he breathed in. She brought her hand together as she too took a deep breath and released a massive fireball. Tyriel then shot his compressed ball of air.

Tyriel's attack covered more ground faster then Rinoa's fireball and soon the two collided. Rinoa confident that her fire attack would win over the wind attack smiled but then became confused as she caught a glance at Tyriel's cocky grin. Then she noticed the trail following behind his attacked and saw just how close the attack was to her and all she could do was throw her hand up to guard herself as the attacks collided. Normally a fire attack beats wind but there was something seriously wrong with this instance. There was extremely violent reaction between the attack and the resulting explosion hurled Rinoa reeling back and into a tree. Her back crashed against the trunk and her head wiped back and the back of her head hit the tree. She was out cold.

Tyriel was blown back but not nearly with the same force. He laid in the sand laughing as he held his side. "Chakra enhanced exploding powder. Guarantee to blow up big!" Slowly he rose to his feet as the crowd rose to their feet cheering. Tyriel let his ego get the best of him as he began to pose for the crowd. Then he heard someone moving in the sand. He turned around to see the white haired boy from before. His eyes narrowed, "you!"

The cocky youth nodded his head a little before shaking his head a little as he crossed his arms, "Sand scum. You not as big as you think you are just cause you beat that pathetic heap called an Uchiha." He raised his hands into the air, "why not have a real fight…or are you scared…?"

Something snapped in Tyriel at that moment. His playfulness began to melt away as he took an offensive posture, "kid…you'll rue the day to said those words!"

N/C: Overload


End file.
